In the early 1960s a friend and I got to know Ian Goddard, a pal of Dave Degens, in a pub in Borehamwood. Ian took us down down Brands hatch in his Mini, getting stopped for speeding on route, and then to the paddock where Dave was racing a G50 and a Triton. As it was a wet day he gave us the job of roughing up the front tyres of the bikes with a file. It was a very exciting day and we all ended up in a restaurant somewhere round South London afterwards. I've never forgotten it and always followed Dave's motorcycling career with interest, particularly when one of the magazines tested his Dresda Triton at 136mph..
Years ago one of these G45s showed up at the Labor Day swap meet and vintage flat track races in Davenport, Iowa. It's an enormous event with mostly old American motorcycles. It's one of those motorbikes that you can hardly believe you are seeing in person. Beautiful and rare!
It certainly is a lovely machine. When people think of Matchless race bikes I think many have an image of the later G50 single so it was nice to see the less common earlier twin. Cheers for watching :-)
The G45 does sound great. I have a G9, G11 & G12. The camshaft difference in the G45 is very noticeable. Perhaps one day I will complete the set. I'll just keep buying the lotto tickets and dreaming. 😊
@@DukeDyson I have considered going down to the crossroads and offering my soul to the devil, but given I am almost 60 yrs old, I don't think I would have enough rides before I had to honour the deal 😅
Soooooo true, it's the soul that is missing from the standard appliances that are in the showrooms now. I think that's why the classic scene and the custom scene so often go together; they've still got it
It's a beautiful thing but possibly its era's equivalent of "The Unrideables" with such a narrow powerband. Dave Degans and his contemporaries were masters of their craft for sure.
We call trainspotters "foamers" 'cause they foam at the mouth whenever they see a train. Bless 'em. They've got nothing on me while watching that. I was positively frothing like a rabid dog !!!
Hi , I'm interested in one g 45. My friend have g45 engine but camshaft don't do well ,how can help for this problem do you can mi orientation how repair or buy camshaft?
Thanks for the video. I've often wondered why Matchless produced the G45 when they had the G50 ? Did the twin come first ? Then there's the Porcupine. Was this a 350 ? Thanks again Colin. ( G80 / M18 project in progress, frame on it's way. )
Hi Colin, the G45 actually came first, having been developed in the early 50s whereas the G50 didn't arrive until the late 50s. Both machines used the rolling chassis from the fairly well established AJS7R but with obviously different engines, the G45 being a quick and powerful 500cc twin, the G50 basically being a development of and increased capacity AJS7R (500cc and 350cc respectively). The Porcupine is a very different beast developed immediately after the war. Its 500cc twin engine layout was quite different, having been designed to be supercharged. It never really worked once the supercharger was removed (to comply with racing regs I think). Prior to the G45 andG50 much of AMC's racing bikes were developed under the AJS name but as they owned both marques since the 1930s their provenance is largely interchangeable. I hope you'll be posting up some progress vids on the G80/M18. The two are, as I'm sure you know, very similar; the distinguishing give away being the location of the magneto. Cheers for watching
@@DukeDyson Thanks a lot Duke. That's so interesting. I used to watch the G50's, 7 r's, Manx et al racing here in the UK back in the '60's. What is the magneto difference please ?
feckin ell, when that matchless fired up ⬆ jizzed me undies. lol forkin awesome sounds from those bikes. ya no wat, they'd be na gud te me, I need an electric boot. lol 😁 👍 👍 👍
It's just lovely isn't it, good to see that the fine art of kicking over big bikes is still alive, although I'm not sure my knackered old body would still cope either
Drool is right Peter, there was much to gush about, but the number of exhibits at the show itself and the number that arrived under their own steam is declining; we're just getting older and eventually falling off our perch to be replaced by those who would restore them to concours condition and keep them as works of art. For me the heart and soul of the Real Classic is that the bikes work, whatever adaption or mod it takes. All is not lost however, the parking outside contained many interesting examples of just that philosophy. Hope all is well with you buddy, take care
Nice G45! Too bad you don`t know how to tune it and PLEASE don`t rev it to 8000 when cold. They were very smooth running engines when kept on the cam---4200 and up. Yes, they would idle just fine when tuned. You can`t magically correct a tuning problem when cold by revving the shit out of it. Yes, i`ve had experience with them. We raced one in So. Cal. at Riverside against Wes Cooleys Manx and others---Clarence Zcysz Buddy Parriot etc. We had good luck with the bike and i still have the correspondence from Ike Hatch about tuning, parts etc. The weak point was the cam followers---also tig welded the rockearm fulcrum castings in the heads.
The gentleman in the video is the legendary Dave Degens who has been tuning and racing these and other bikes with great success since before I was born. I don't think I would want to tell him how to treat them! Thanks for watching
Fuller Johnson If you know about these machines you would understand that they get filled with hot oil before starting, besides he didn’t rev it to anywhere near 8000rpm. As for tuning, as someone already said, I would trust Dave Degens to know how to tune a bike engine.
Hope the hot oil does it's job, pity that so many Classic bikes never get a proper run, plus condensation builds up inside the engine, if not given a proper run out. Go to Ardingly on occasion, Classic bike scene not just full of motorcycle enthusiast anymore, plenty crooks, know all's and fraudsters around, since big money got involved! Ike Hatch would have been the man, to talk too. Presumably, the bikes would have been warmed up elsewhere previous to their demonstration, but you are right Fuller, people sometimes don't appreciate how vulnerable engines and metal surfaces are to lubrication starvation and cold oil! Especially dry sump engines, a system used on Most British machines! Johnny
In the early 1960s a friend and I got to know Ian Goddard, a pal of Dave Degens, in a pub in Borehamwood. Ian took us down down Brands hatch in his Mini, getting stopped for speeding on route, and then to the paddock where Dave was racing a G50 and a Triton. As it was a wet day he gave us the job of roughing up the front tyres of the bikes with a file. It was a very exciting day and we all ended up in a restaurant somewhere round South London afterwards. I've never forgotten it and always followed Dave's motorcycling career with interest, particularly when one of the magazines tested his Dresda Triton at 136mph..
Sounds like a fantastic adventure and a great memory. Cheers for sharing 🙂
Years ago one of these G45s showed up at the Labor Day swap meet and vintage flat track races in Davenport, Iowa. It's an enormous event with mostly old American motorcycles. It's one of those motorbikes that you can hardly believe you are seeing in person. Beautiful and rare!
It certainly is a lovely machine. When people think of Matchless race bikes I think many have an image of the later G50 single so it was nice to see the less common earlier twin. Cheers for watching :-)
Bloody marvellous Mr Dyson always loved Dresda Tritons nice to see Mr Degens alive and kicking too!
I think there's quite a lot of life in the old dog yet eh :)
The G45 does sound great. I have a G9, G11 & G12. The camshaft difference in the G45 is very noticeable. Perhaps one day I will complete the set. I'll just keep buying the lotto tickets and dreaming. 😊
What a lovely collection to have 🙂 keep buying those tickets; you never know eh and yes it really does sound great. Thanks for watching 🙂
@@DukeDyson I have considered going down to the crossroads and offering my soul to the devil, but given I am almost 60 yrs old, I don't think I would have enough rides before I had to honour the deal 😅
@@coolhand1964 😁
There was so much eye candy there. British bikes have a soul unlike a lot of others. Thanks for showing Dave.
Soooooo true, it's the soul that is missing from the standard appliances that are in the showrooms now. I think that's why the classic scene and the custom scene so often go together; they've still got it
Kick starting a motorcycle, seems like a lost art. The lad in the background when #9 was starting was priceless. Thanks Dave
It is a bit of an art eh, but all these started first kick. Impressive stuff eh :)
wish they had made g45 for general sale, a very good-looking bike, and nice noises.
Certainly is lovely machine
The G45 sounds like the ripping of silk ❤❤...such a narrow power band keep it above 5000
It's a beautiful thing but possibly its era's equivalent of "The Unrideables" with such a narrow powerband. Dave Degans and his contemporaries were masters of their craft for sure.
exquisite sounds Dave gotta love a triton or "norumph" as I like to call them .😃
Oh yes, massive audiogasm :)
Some beautiful looking bike there Dave, Don't think I'd be able to kick start nowadays.... But I'd give it a fkn good try. thanks for sharing buddy.
Sure are some beauties Alex, kick starts are best with rose tinted specs on :)
I like the way they started the Matchless, the bike with the M with wings.
I think Dave Degens is a bit long in the tooth for bump starting eh :)
We call trainspotters "foamers" 'cause they foam at the mouth whenever they see a train. Bless 'em. They've got nothing on me while watching that. I was positively frothing like a rabid dog !!!
I get that Marty, I must have looked like I was chewing a bar of soap with all the frothing that was going on :)
❤
Hi , I'm interested in one g 45. My friend have g45 engine but camshaft don't do well ,how can help for this problem do you can mi orientation how repair or buy camshaft?
Thanks for the video. I've often wondered why Matchless produced the G45 when they had the G50 ? Did the twin come first ? Then there's the Porcupine. Was this a 350 ?
Thanks again Colin. ( G80 / M18 project in progress, frame on it's way. )
Hi Colin, the G45 actually came first, having been developed in the early 50s whereas the G50 didn't arrive until the late 50s. Both machines used the rolling chassis from the fairly well established AJS7R but with obviously different engines, the G45 being a quick and powerful 500cc twin, the G50 basically being a development of and increased capacity AJS7R (500cc and 350cc respectively). The Porcupine is a very different beast developed immediately after the war. Its 500cc twin engine layout was quite different, having been designed to be supercharged. It never really worked once the supercharger was removed (to comply with racing regs I think). Prior to the G45 andG50 much of AMC's racing bikes were developed under the AJS name but as they owned both marques since the 1930s their provenance is largely interchangeable. I hope you'll be posting up some progress vids on the G80/M18. The two are, as I'm sure you know, very similar; the distinguishing give away being the location of the magneto. Cheers for watching
@@DukeDyson Thanks a lot Duke. That's so interesting. I used to watch the G50's, 7 r's, Manx et al racing here in the UK back in the '60's. What is the magneto difference please ?
@@colvinator1611 Id have to check exactly which way round it is but one has the magneto in front of the barrel and one has it behind
@@DukeDyson OK Duke, thanks again. I'll check that out.
Train spotters LOL - Great vid DD
They do have a bit of a reputation eh :)
Very nice
Very nice indeed :)
Sweet :)
as a sweet thing with sugar on top and sprinkles and maybe some treacle :)
oh yes
With brass knobs on eh :)
feckin ell, when that matchless fired up ⬆ jizzed me undies. lol
forkin awesome sounds from those bikes. ya no wat, they'd be na gud te me, I need an electric boot. lol 😁 👍 👍 👍
It's just lovely isn't it, good to see that the fine art of kicking over big bikes is still alive, although I'm not sure my knackered old body would still cope either
DukeDyson yeah, my knees would collapse lol even my bionic one. lol 😁 👍
Drooooooooooolllll 😛
Drool is right Peter, there was much to gush about, but the number of exhibits at the show itself and the number that arrived under their own steam is declining; we're just getting older and eventually falling off our perch to be replaced by those who would restore them to concours condition and keep them as works of art. For me the heart and soul of the Real Classic is that the bikes work, whatever adaption or mod it takes. All is not lost however, the parking outside contained many interesting examples of just that philosophy. Hope all is well with you buddy, take care
Nice G45! Too bad you don`t know how to tune it and PLEASE don`t rev it to 8000 when cold. They were very smooth running engines when kept on the cam---4200 and up. Yes, they would idle just fine when tuned. You can`t magically correct a tuning problem when cold by revving the shit out of it. Yes, i`ve had experience with them. We raced one in So. Cal. at Riverside against Wes Cooleys Manx and others---Clarence Zcysz Buddy Parriot etc. We had good luck with the bike and i still have the correspondence from Ike Hatch about tuning, parts etc. The weak point was the cam followers---also tig welded the rockearm fulcrum castings in the heads.
The gentleman in the video is the legendary Dave Degens who has been tuning and racing these and other bikes with great success since before I was born. I don't think I would want to tell him how to treat them! Thanks for watching
Fuller Johnson If you know about these machines you would understand that they get filled with hot oil before starting, besides he didn’t rev it to anywhere near 8000rpm.
As for tuning, as someone already said, I would trust Dave Degens to know how to tune a bike engine.
Hope the hot oil does it's job, pity that so many Classic bikes never get a proper run, plus condensation builds up inside the engine, if not given a proper run out. Go to Ardingly on occasion, Classic bike scene not just full of motorcycle enthusiast anymore, plenty crooks, know all's and fraudsters around, since big money got involved! Ike Hatch would have been the man, to talk too. Presumably, the bikes would have been warmed up elsewhere previous to their demonstration, but you are right Fuller, people sometimes don't appreciate how vulnerable engines and metal surfaces are to lubrication starvation and cold oil! Especially dry sump engines, a system used on Most British machines!
Johnny